


Talk To Me And I Will Listen

by vulpixfairy



Category: Animaniacs
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Animaniacs 2020 - Freeform, Counselling, Dr Otto Scratchansniff as father figure, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Sleeping Siblings, Takes place after an episode, Yakko Warner needs comfort and guidance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:48:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28382748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vulpixfairy/pseuds/vulpixfairy
Summary: Inspired by the “Fear and Laughter in Burbank” segment in the Animaniacs 2020 reboot series. Yakko is still shaken up from his encounter with Nickelwise but keeps it hidden. In his darkest moment, he is saved by someone who is willing to listen...
Relationships: Dr. Otto Scratchansniff & Yakko Warner
Comments: 7
Kudos: 98





	Talk To Me And I Will Listen

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Animaniacs. Only the story and imagination linked to it.
> 
> Story notes: This is inspired by the Fear and Laughter in Burbank Halloween segment with the Warner siblings. I just had to write something about it and to also keep the inspiration of Scratchy being their father figure and is willing to help them in any way. That scene with Yakko and Nickelwise really tore my heartstrings even though it’s played as a joke and hence why I wrote this story.

** Talk To Me And I Will Listen **

Yakko groaned and sat up in his bunk bed and tiredly glanced at his digital clock. Exactly midnight. He rubbed his aching temples and his eyes. He really needed to sleep but he just couldn’t. He knew why though...he hadn’t exactly felt his same jovial self since airing the studio’s Halloween episode. He didn’t want to make his siblings worry even more over him after he had been worrying over them with that psychotic monster clown, Nickelwise. He just couldn’t shake off the chills like he usually did after their long hours of airing and recording in front of cameras...or drones in this day and age. Halloween episodes were commonplace in this industry. He and his siblings had faced cartoonish terrors like never before and they had always come out on top and this was no exception. Everything was all right and everyone got their souls back...right?

Yakko shivered and gripped his chest with a quivering gloved hand, feeling his heartbeat. He was alive...his soul was still intact. A flash of Nickelwise’s blank face shot in his mind’s eye and he had to grit his teeth to stop a frightened yelp from escaping...frightened...he was frightened by a monster clown who should be Wakko’s greatest fear but wasn’t...his siblings were fine...he was fine...he should be...he wasn’t alone...it didn’t matter that these visions and chills lasted for only for a month.

“Oh come on! Why should I feel this way?!” He whispered harshly to himself as he got up to his feet. He breathed heavily, trying to shake the disturbing image from his head. It worked...for the moment anyway, “Air...I need fresh air...a short walk wouldn't hurt...as long as my sibs are still sound asleep, they should be okay...right? Right.”

He got himself out of bed and checked on his slumbering siblings. Wakko was drooling in his sleep and mumbling about getting more designer doughnuts while Dot looked pretty as a picture cuddling her soft toys close to her head. Chuckling at the sight, he kissed their heads and made sure they were safely tucked in their blankets before heading to the large metal door. He carefully turned the wheel to unlock it and pushed it open slightly enough for him to slip through. He felt a night breeze hitting him. It was cold...but he felt that it was not that cold enough to warrant a coat or a scarf. He closed the door with a soft clank and slid down the ladder gracefully, landing on the ground with a soft pat. Then he found himself aimlessly wandering around the shadowed lots of the studios under an eerie moonlit and starry night.

* * *

After what seemed like hours, Yakko found himself back at the very same building where he faced his greatest fear. At this time, the building truly looked quite spooky...he heard the creaks...the wobbles...the haunting echoes...then silence...absolute silence...everything seemed to get bleaker and darker the longer he stood. He felt cold sweat on his brow...the memory started to come back. He squeezed his eyes shut and clutched his head, trying very hard to not relive it. The darkness seemed to swirl around him and he felt dizzy as he fell onto his knees on the hard concrete ground, still holding his head. He felt the chills return and the image of Nickelwise taunting, silent, nonchalant face popped up repeatedly in his mind’s eye. Yakko felt his breath catch...his head started pounding...cold sweat kept trickling down his temples. He had to make it stop...stop! Nickelwise appeared in his head again. This time, he was grinning menacingly and his whispers were soft yet grating...Yakko gritted his teeth in a vain attempt to stop the frightened whines being wrenched from his throat.

“Get away...you’re not here...you’re not here!”

“ _Oh but I am...you want me to be here._ ”

“I don’t...I don’t...I don’t!”

“ _Afraid that you’ll be alone again? No one to laugh at your lame jokes? Oh wait, you are the joke! Not even your siblings would want you after they see how truly pathetic you are!_ ”

Tears sprung to Yakko’s clenched eyes and he felt a stab to his chest. They had to be lies! Wakko and Dot were his world. His grounding to stay happy, sane and zany. He sobbed at the crushing weight of the cruel words directed at him.

“ _Some toon you are...they are not even afraid of me...but you are...you are so easy to target. I will come back and claim your soul again..._ ”

Yakko couldn’t take it anymore. Nickelwise’s malicious chuckles reverberated around him. He was more than scared...he was utterly terrified. He was alone...he was truly alone...he fully collapsed onto the ground, curling up in a foetal position and sobbing into his clothed knees.

“Somebody...anybody...hear me...” he hoarsely whispered and sobbed.

“ _No one is here..._ ”

“Somebody...say something...anything...”

“ _No one is coming for you..._ ”

“Help...”

“ _Nobody is ever going to talk to you..._ ”

“No...help...”

“ _Nobody is ever going to listen to you..._ ”

“...help...please...”

“ _You will forever be alone!_ ”

“...”

“Yakko!”

A panicked deeply accented voice called out and hurried footfalls pounded towards him and all of a sudden, there were no more Nickelwise’s taunts...no more silence. The darkness slowly receded and Yakko started gasping loudly as the air suddenly rushed back into his oxygen deprived lungs.

“Are you alright? Vat are you doing out here alone?!”

The elder Warner felt himself carefully hoisted against a skinny yet warm body and a palm lightly slapping his face back to focus. Through his blurred vision, he made out a stern and concerned face adorned with oversized glasses.

“S-Scratchy...”

“Yes, Yakko. I’m here. You’re cold and clammy. Come back to my office. Let’s varm you up a bit.”

Yakko couldn’t be more grateful to see the bald psychiatrist. He stood up on shaky legs, the exhaustion of the night starting to affect him. He was about to collapse but luckily Dr Scratchansniff held him fast and supported him.

“Take it eazy. Lean on me, ya?”

“D-doc...”

“Shush...walk, Yakko. I can’t carry you completely. I know you are still conscious. You have to help me.”

Yakko immediately went silent and did as he was told. He was far too relieved, embarrassed and drained all at the same time to do anything else but to follow the psychiatrist back to his office.

* * *

Yakko numbly sat down on the chaise lounge and didn’t notice the psychiatrist’s analytical yet concerned gaze as he draped a thick woolen blanket over the toon’s shoulders.

“I’ll make us zome hot cocoa, ya? I won’t take long.”

The clatter of dishes and crockery and smell of freshly made cocoa finally snapped Yakko back to full focus at where he was. Basked in lamplight, Dr Scratchansniff’s office was strangely homey and warm. He fingered the soft blanket covering his shoulders as he released a shaky breath, wondering how on Earth he ended up with his unlikely saviour. The clatter coming from the next room slowly died away and he spotted the psychiatrist coming out with two steaming mugs. He offered one of the mugs to Yakko who carefully accepted it before seating back in his armchair. The toon took a sip and sighed as the sweetness of the chocolate swept his tongue and the liquid spread in his belly and body like molten honey. He began to drink more, allowing more of the warmth to soothe him and he sighed.

“It’s good, Scratchy...” Yakko complimented sincerely. Dr Scratchansniff beamed slightly.

“I find zat hot cocoa always helps calm ze soul. But zat aside...” his look turned serious after he took a sip from his own mug and set it aside, “I vant to know why you were out zere all alone without your siblings in ze middle of ze night.”

“It...” Yakko felt trapped as he held onto his half full mug, suddenly not wanting to look at the psychiatrist, “It’s nothing and I’m fine.”

“Wrong, Yakko. You are not fine. It’s not easy trying convince me zat you are fine after I found you nearly unconscious, freezing cold to ze touch and calling out for help,” the psychiatrist shook his head in a patronising manner.

Yakko swallowed a lump in his dry throat and felt his heartbeat jumpstart in a fast fashion. He hated how the bald man looked at him with concern and seriousness through his glasses, searing into the depths of his being. As much as he wanted to escape that gaze, he just couldn’t. The psychiatrist decided to break the silence.

“Vhy were you outside zat office building? I zought ze filming with Nickelwise vas finished over a month ago.”

At the mention of Nickelwise, another vision of the monster clown flashed before Yakko, causing him to drop his mug and spilled the remaining cocoa all over the carpeted floor. A whimper wrenched out of his throat and he was mortified to find hot tears reappearing in his eyes. Meanwhile Dr Scratchansniff had not expected this immediate reaction and he was shocked to see Yakko near to tears. His concern grew for the toon as he moved to sit next to Yakko. What happened to him a month ago that reduced him to this pitiful child before him?

“I thought I’m over that maniac...we finished filming and everything turned out all right in the end,” Yakko clutched his temple, feeling it pounding slightly, “Everything was all right. My siblings are ok...”

“But you are not, Yakko.”

Yakko looked at Dr Scratchansniff in mild surprise. The psychiatrist looked a bit ready to kill and it made the toon uneasy.

“Zos bigshot idiots had no idea how much danger you kidzes would’ve been in.”

“Doc...”

“I kept on telling ze boss und the directors that bringing Nickelwise into the studios vas NOT a good idea. Vhy zey von’t listen to me? I knew that Wakko might react adversely. But I was shocked that he didn't and I never expected that Nickelwise's presence would actually made you feel this way...” he shook his head and sighed exasperatedly before turning his attention back to Yakko, “You should have come to me straightavay, Yakko.”

“Why? How bad could it be, doc?”

“I am serious. You are more affected from zis incident more than you realise. You are experiencing post traumatic stress disorder and this is something we must address to save your zaniness. You must tell me what happened to you in zat building.”

“Wait, d-doc. There’s no need to go that far. All that matters is that Nickelwise hadn’t harmed my siblings and they have no idea what I went through. I want to keep it that way. They don’t need to know and you don’t have to help me. I told you before. I am fine!”

“Yakko Warner!”

Yakko froze at the formal address. Dr Scratchansniff was still looking stern but there was imploring plead mixed in his bespectacled eyes.

“You may have fooled your siblings all this time. But you can’t fool me, Dr Otto von Scratchansniff. Vat Nickelwise did to you was not okay. He has caused you great harm and you are hurting because of it...if you can’t get through zis, it will eat you up inside and affect Wakko and Dot too somewhere down the line.”

Yakko looked down with a forlorn expression and wrung his gloved hands together. The psychiatrist placed his hands on his blanketed shoulders and rubbed them firmly. Yakko felt his eyes water even more and he dared to look back up at the man who saved him from the darkness.

“I vant to help you, Yakko,” the psychiatrist said in a gentle deep tone.

“I...I...”

Flashes and images filled Yakko’s head. The elder Warner whimpered as the terrible memory once again resurfaced. He shook his head, trying to erase the nightmare vision that was to come. But the psychiatrist wasn’t having any of that and stilled his head by cupping his cheeks gently.

"I don't want to see them, doc...he'll be back to get me..."

“Don’t fight it, Yakko. It’ll just make you veel worse. Let them come. Talk to me. I’m here to listen.”

Yakko felt his breath catch in his throat...listen...listen...that word sounded heavenly...the toon hyperventilated, feeling his chest might burst...he couldn't hold it back...he had to know for sure...

“Listen?” Yakko gasped hoarsely, “You’ll really listen to me?!”

The psychiatrist was taken back by the desperate tone in the toon’s raspy voice. But he remained calm and nodded his head in affirmation. He positioned himself to support the toon...and noted the scared trembles in his young body.

“Yes, Yakko. Zat’s vat I’m here for. Talk to me and I will listen.”

That broke the straw off the camel’s back. Nickelwise was wrong after all. He had someone who was willing to talk and listen to him. Yakko clung onto the psychiatrist’s arms and pressed his aching head against the thin chest as he told the bald man everything that happened during his encounter with Nickelwise in the haunted office building. Yakko left no details out how he felt during the entire ordeal, especially the cold numbness he felt as Nickelwise sucked out his soul. All the while, Dr Scratchansniff had to hold back his horror and disgust at the suffering the toon went through for the sake of creating an unforgettable Halloween themed episode. He couldn’t imagine facing Yakko’s worst fear of being alone and invisible to others and having his soul almost taken away by that horrible monstrosity if it hadn’t been for Wakko and Dot’s intervention. By the time Yakko was near the end, he was a sobbing wreck as he was being cradled by the psychiatrist. All the while, the bald man just held the toon tighter...Yakko clearly needed help...

“I was able to hold it together until the filming finished, Scratchy...then I had to get away for a moment so that my sibs couldn’t see how scared I really was,” Yakko whispered sadly and tiredly, “I really thought I was going to die right there and then...if it hadn’t been for them...I...”

“Yakko...” the psychiatrist pulled back to give Yakko a bit breathing space. He noted how the toon’s gloved hand didn’t let go of his arm despite the short distance, “You are here now. You are still living, having survived no over person vould.”

"I still get nightmares of him sometimes...other than those visions I told you earlier..." Yakko confessed and looked away in shame, "I never told my sibs what happened to me on those nights...I can't be a burden to them."

"But I am sure they'd want to help their big brozer in any way they can, Yakko."

“What bitter irony...I am mortified over something that’s supposed to be Wakko’s worst fear. Some big brother I am...” Yakko chuckled in a depressed fashion before turning to the psychiatrist, “There’s really something wrong with me, isn’t it, Scratchy...”

“Yes but zis is treatable as long as you let me help you. Tell me honestly: how are you feeling now?”

“I guess...” Yakko took a moment to consider his answer. In truth, he felt better even though he felt exhausted. His chest felt less tight, his limbs felt less numb, the pounding in his head lessened and most of all, he felt some parts of his jovial self returning, “I do feel somewhat better, Doc.”

“Gud, it’s progress,” Dr Scratchansniff nodded in approval, noting how much relaxed the toon looked, “But zis means we need more counselling sessions to help you accept and move on from zis trauma you are experiencing. Zis is only ze start on a road to recovery.”

“But-“

“We can do it on a confidential basis. Your ziblings do not have to know straightavay-”

“But they will know eventually...” Yakko finished softly, closing his eyes with a slight frown.

“Yes, exactly.”

Yakko sighed resignedly, "It's not going to be easy, doc?"

"I will not lie, Yakko. It won't be easy."

“How long will this thing take? Will talking to you make the nightmares and the visions of...him...go away?” Yakko asked the psychiatrist softly and seriously.

Dr Scratchansniff took a breath as he carefully thought over how to respond to the young toon before him, “It depends on you, Yakko. Zis nightmares and visions of yours may not completely disappear altogether. But zis is your journey to recovery and zerefore it can be how you want it to be. I can assure you that we will work on zis together from building your support network and discussing which coping strategies zat will help you keep grounded. You are NOT alone in dealing with zis.”

Yakko felt his chest loosen, experiencing a flood of relief and gratitude. Who knew that the psychiatrist would be the one to help keep him grounded beside his siblings? The one man whom they saw as a father...

“Thanks, Scratchy...” it was then Yakko turned his attention to the stained portion of the carpet. He sheepishly picked up the dropped mug, “Oh I’m sorry, doc. I can help clean it up for you.”

“Don’t vorry about it. The cleaners can take of zat in the ze morning. In ze meantime-“ a loud yawn interrupted his musing as he observed Yakko stretching and blearing his eyes weakly, “I zink you are overdue for a sleep.”

* * *

The psychiatrist ended up carrying a very sleepy Yakko back up to the water tower. It was quite hard work but he eventually located Yakko’s bed in the shadowed darkness. He could hear the soft breaths and snores in the background. Ah yes, the other Warner kids were still asleep. He carefully manoeuvred the warm body into a comfortable position and pulled the available blanket over Yakko.

“Doc...thanks for tonight...” Yakko’s sleepy voice was soft and sincere as he placed a gloved hand over his and weakly squeezed it, “I somehow needed it...”

Dr Scratchansniff squeezed his hand back and patted Yakko’s head in return as he looked down tenderly at the toon whose zany antics had wormed into his heart alongside his siblings, “Zat’s vat I’m here for...get some sleep. I’ll fix up our next session outside working hours and let you know, okie dokies?”

“Okie dokies...”

“Gud...now sleep.”

The psychiatrist watched Yakko slowly drift off to sleep. The toon mumbled incoherently until his eyes fully closed and his chest rose and fell with each deep breath. Dr Scratchansniff sighed with slight worry upon seeing the lightly shadowed bags under his closed eyes and the faded worry lines marking his young face.

“No child should ever go zrough zat...”

He wondered whether Wakko and Dot might have noticed these signs of their elder brother’s hidden fears and trauma as well...but that was for another day to ponder over. What mattered was that Yakko would sleep well for the rest of the night.

“Rest well, Yakko...remember whenever you are talking, I’ll be here listening no matter what.”

As the psychiatrist made his way towards the ajar door and carefully closed it after exiting, Yakko continued to slumber with no visions or nightmares of Nickelwise to haunt him for now. Come morning, Yakko would go about his business with his siblings as usual and continuing to hide his pain underneath jokes and puns. But this time, he had help in Dr Scratchansniff and he would take more steps to overcome his haunted fears and banish Nickelwise from messing with his head...he would be okay in time...so long as there was somebody who was ready to listen to him as he talked.

**The End**


End file.
